"In spite of his farm-bred love of land and custom. John XXIII was, in the best possible sense, a revolutionary--a Pope of modernization who kept in continuity with the church's past, yet made even the most enlightened of his 20th century predecessors seem like voices of another age." -- Time magazine

"You cannot understand contemporary Catholicism without understanding Pope John XXIII. Greg Tobin's new marvelous book is a terrific introduction to the pope who changed the church, and to the man whose spiritual wisdom may change your life." -- James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything

"The story of Good Pope John is always worth telling but all the more so in the current climate of retreat from his vision of aggiornamento. Greg Tobin tells it very well. As we wait for better days, this story will help to keep hope alive." -- Thomas Groome, Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College and author of Will There Be Faith and What Makes us Catholic

"[Pope John XXIII] impressed the world with the friendliness... which radiated the remarkable goodness of his soul. . . . Everyone remembers the image of Pope John's smiling face and two outstretched arms embracing the whole world. How many people were won over by his simplicity of heart!" -- Pope John Paul II, upon the beatification of Pope John XXIII

"In 1958 John XXIII set in train a series of events which have since moved that huge old galleon, the Roman Catholic Church, back into the mainstream of world history and have profoundly altered the silhouette it presents to mankind." -- Life magazine

"This is the best single volume on John XXIII and the events he set in motion 50 years ago, transforming the church and the world." -- David Gibson, author of The Rule of Benedict

"A beautiful and enlightening book about a humble priest who be